Panthers Won't Quit On Bure

January 14, 1999|By MICHAEL RUSSO Staff Writer

SUNRISE — Slowly but surely, the truth is coming out.

And the truth is the Panthers are entrenched in the Pavel Bure sweepstakes.

General Manager Bryan Murray's simple inquiry into the Vancouver Canucks' superstar holdout two weeks ago was more than a brief conversation with Canucks GM Brian Burke at the World Junior Championships in Winnipeg.

``[Burke) was one seat behind me for half the flight, and in the seat beside me for the rest of the trip,'' Murray said Wednesday. ``So when we got to Winnipeg, we didn't have to talk.''

But contrary to what Murray said earlier in the week, the two executives have had lively conversations since.

Burke and his staff have put together a proposal for some Panthers players, and Murray said Wednesday that he was interested.

``The way we left it is Brian asked me, `Would you do certain things?' '' Murray said. ``I've indicated we have great interest in doing something along the lines that he's asked me about.''

Burke has assembled his scouting staff in Vancouver and was going to meet with them before calling Murray back. Murray said he's been given no timetable, but Burke has reportedly said Bure could be dealt as soon as today. Of course, that might be nothing more than Burke trying to put pressure on some other teams to come up with their best offers.

Bure, 27, a four-time All-Star, is one of the NHL's most talented. He won the Calder Trophy (rookie of the year) in 1991-92 after a 34-goal, 60-point campaign in only 60 games. He scored 60 goals in each of the next two seasons, including a phenomenal playoff run in 1994 when he helped lead the Canucks to the Stanley Cup Finals with 16 goals and 31 points in 24 games.

Last season he was tied for second in the NHL with 51 goals.

The Canucks are looking for a second-line center and a young defenseman, meaning Oleg Kvasha or Rob Niedermayer could be headed west. Sources say Burke has had interest in Rhett Warrener, but it's possible Ed Jovanovski could be in a deal. Dave Gagner and David Nemirovsky are also on the trade block.

``Right now I don't think I can say there's anyone I wouldn't consider trading if I had a chance to acquire a top guy,'' Murray said. ``Would we be taking a hit? Let's just say you always have to give up something to get something.''

Bure, who has been working out in Moscow, was to make $5 million this season, but since he scored 50 goals last season, it triggered a clause in his contract that would have him make the average of the three highest-paid players, which is more than $8 million.

But Bure is to become a restricted free agent this summer anyway, so it's likely any team that trades for him will tear up his contract and re-sign him to a new long-term deal. Bure is believed to be seeking more than $10 million. ``Part of my consideration in a trade certainly would be to start talking to keep him around for a while,'' Murray said. ``The ownership of this hockey team is willing to do a lot to make our team better.''

The New York Rangers are also believed to be involved, but according to today's New York Daily News, they might be out of it.

The Rangers have been offering Niklas Sundstrom, Dan Cloutier and a first-round draft pick. The Canucks are also asking for Manny Malhotra and $1.5 million. The Rangers beat out the Panthers in the Mike Richter and Petr Nedved sweepstakes.

Dave Nonis, the Canucks' senior vice president of hockey operations, told the Vancouver Province on Wednesday that the Canucks are close to a deal but would not say with whom.

``It's a situation where it's still got to come through in certain ways,'' Nonis said. ``The foundation is there for a deal with some bricks still needed to be put in place. It could happen in a day or so, but there's more than one team on the doorstep.''